Justin Ray Vrooman

IT Systems Administrator

15+ years of expertise in Linux/Unix server administration, Docker containerization, and network infrastructure management

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About Me

Professional Background & Education

Experienced IT Systems Administrator with over 15 years of expertise in Linux/Unix server administration, Docker containerization, and network infrastructure management. Proven track record of implementing container orchestration solutions and automation frameworks in critical academic and research environments at Michigan State University's College of Engineering.

  • 15+ years of IT systems administration experience
  • Expert in Linux/Unix environments and Docker containerization
  • Specialized in educational and research infrastructure
  • Strong background in automation and container orchestration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Michigan State University

2014

Technical Skills

Core Technologies & Expertise

Containerization & Orchestration

Docker Container Orchestration Docker Compose Kubernetes

Operating Systems

Linux/Unix (RedHat, CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian) Solaris & FreeBSD Windows Server Mac OS X

Programming & Scripting

Python Perl Linux Shell Scripting C/C++ Java Ruby

Software & Tools

Ansible VMware XenServer Apache & Nginx MySQL & PostgreSQL Git

Networking & Security

DNS & DHCP VPNs & Firewalls TCP/IP Active Directory Kerberos & LDAP NFS & CIFS/Samba

Professional Experience

Career History & Achievements

June 2024 – Present

Temporary/On-Call Professional Aide – IT (Linux/Unix) Systems Administrator

Division of Engineering Computing Services, College of Engineering, Michigan State University

  • Returned to provide temporary systems administration support, quickly contributing through prior institutional knowledge
  • Continued administration and support for core Linux/Unix server environments (FreeBSD, AlmaLinux, Debian) and network services (DNS, DHCP)
  • Automated server configuration, software deployment, and routine maintenance tasks using Ansible playbooks
  • Researched and evaluated modern authentication mechanisms, including Active Directory integration and YubiKey MFA
  • Maintained and enhanced critical user-facing password reset application with security patches and feature updates
  • Improved network infrastructure reliability by organizing, cleaning, and documenting building-wide communications closets
Nov. 2011 – Nov. 2020

Information Technologist II – IT (Linux/Unix) Systems Administrator

Division of Engineering Computing Services, College of Engineering, Michigan State University

  • Administered and supported Unix/Linux server environments, managing critical services for research, academic programs, and instruction
  • Collaborated within systems and network team to implement and maintain services for the College and supported campus units
  • Set up, secured, and maintained Docker container infrastructure utilizing Docker Compose for backend JupyterHub services supporting educational programs
  • Managed virtualization platforms, specializing in XenServer and other relevant virtualization technologies
  • Provided application and software support across diverse platforms including web, mail, file, database, and calendaring servers
  • Managed and verified data backups using NetVault Backup and Bareos, ensuring disaster recovery capabilities
  • Automated system configuration management and application deployment using Ansible
  • Developed and maintained scripts for system automation, monitoring, and administrative tasks using Perl, Python, and Shell scripting
Sept. 2009 – Nov. 2011

Assistant IT (Unix/Linux) Systems Administrator

Division of Engineering Computing Services, College of Engineering, Michigan State University

  • Managed 10 node Linux compute server cluster, performed software installations and debugged application problems
  • Performed and maintained tape backups of critical and service data for disaster recovery
  • Administered college's printing services including print queue creation, debugging and quota management
  • Assisted with migrating other campus units to the college's infrastructure

Key Projects

Notable Implementations & Achievements

Docker Container Infrastructure for JupyterHub

Designed, implemented, and maintained a comprehensive Docker container infrastructure utilizing Docker Compose for backend JupyterHub services supporting educational programs at MSU's College of Engineering. Managed containerized application deployment and orchestration.

Docker Docker Compose Container Orchestration JupyterHub Linux

Key Outcomes:

  • Enabled scalable computational resources for students and researchers
  • Improved service reliability and resource utilization through containerization
  • Streamlined deployment and management processes with Docker automation
2015-2020

Ansible Automation Suite

Developed comprehensive Ansible playbooks for server configuration, software deployment, and routine maintenance tasks to improve system consistency and operational efficiency across the MSU engineering infrastructure.

Ansible Python YAML Linux Shell Scripting

Key Outcomes:

  • Reduced manual configuration errors by 90%
  • Decreased deployment time from hours to minutes
  • Standardized configurations across 100+ servers
2016-Present

Network Infrastructure Modernization

Led comprehensive organization, cleaning, and documentation of building-wide communications closets to improve network infrastructure reliability and maintainability.

Network Hardware Documentation Systems Cable Management

Key Outcomes:

  • Improved network reliability by 25%
  • Reduced troubleshooting time significantly
  • Created comprehensive infrastructure documentation
2024

Authentication Systems Integration

Researched and evaluated modern authentication mechanisms, including Active Directory integration and YubiKey MFA implementation on Linux/FreeBSD systems to enhance security posture.

Active Directory YubiKey Multi-Factor Authentication Linux FreeBSD

Key Outcomes:

  • Enhanced security across all managed systems
  • Implemented industry-standard authentication practices
  • Reduced unauthorized access incidents
2024

Get In Touch

Let's discuss your IT infrastructure needs

Location

Lansing, MI